Leetown Gun Club

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2×4 Shoot

There will be a 2×4 shoot on Saturday, January 18, 2024 on the pistol range from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Any center-fired pistol can be used. Shooting will be done in two-person teams and the object is to break a 2×4 in half in the quickest amount of time.
Items required: Center-fired pistol (holster), plenty of ammo, eye and ear protection.

Gerald “Jerry” Bonanno

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of longtime Leetown member Jerry Bonanno. He was active in pistol, rifle and trap shooting and a regular in the clubhouse. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Club.
Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 19, 2024 followed by a service at 12 noon. Burial and a luncheon will follow the service at Rosedale Funeral Home, 917 Cemetary Rd., Martinsburg, WV.

Website Update

Leetown IWLA is currently working on a new website. The current website (IWLAWV.ORG) will have basic information on it until we get the new website up and running. Please be patient as we work our way through this.

Notice Regarding Firearms in the Clubhouse

At the November, 2024, regular membership meeting, a resolution was passed unanimously which restricts bringing firearms into the clubhouse. This was done for safety reasons.
Effective immediately, members will no longer be permitted to bring firearms into the clubhouse. Exceptions include firearms that are brought in for raffles/auctions and for sanctioned training events. For the exceptions, the firearms must be unloaded and bolt removed, action in the open position or other recognized method for making the firearm inoperable.
Concealed and open carry firearms will continue to be permitted in the clubhouse, but no handling of these firearms will be permitted.

2025 ATA Shoots

ATA (Amateur Trap Association) shoots will be held at Leetown Gun Club on March 30, 2025, May 18, 2025 and September 28, 2025. As always, we can always use volunteers to help run the shoots, so if you can help, please let us know.

Volunteer Work Changes

With the Covid pandemic limiting the opportunity for new members to get their volunteer work hours completed, the board of directors has recommended that in lieu of actual work, $100.00 may be substituted for the entire 8 hours requirement, or $50.00 for 4 hours if partially completed (with no other smaller payment increments).  The money is to be paid to the Membership Director, Kellie Harding, at the following address:

 Inclement Weather Notice

If Jefferson County schools are cancelled due to weather on a day when a regular monthly IWLA meeting is scheduled, that meeting will be cancelled and business held over to the following month.

 Electronic Gate will not open?

If the electronic gate will not open due to a power outage or mechanical failure, members may use the double metal gate, as the code on the gate lock always matches the 4-digit code on your membership card.

Why have my dues increased?

The West Virginia Department of Dam Safety has ordered the Jefferson County Chapter IWLA to bring the dams on our property into compliance with WV Dept. of Dam Safety Code.

An “anonymous” phone call to WV Dam Safety Dept. notified them of the existence of our dams and by regulation, they are obligated to inspect. Based upon the inspection, our dams meet criteria for WV jurisdiction. The result is that both dams, upper pond and lower pond, will be removed and new dams constructed to meet WV Code.

At the July 2020 meeting of Jefferson County Chapter IWLA, attending members voted unanimously to raise the membership dues to finance the rebuilding of the dams to withstand Class 3 storms.

So far we have spent or committed to $100,000 in engineering costs alone. Further costs are expected to be in the range of $200,000 to $300,000 to remove and rebuild the dams, depending on whether adequate soil can be found on our property or must be hauled in.  We cannot get a firm estimate until our soil has been tested and a contractor chosen.

In 2019, total club income (from dues and activities) was $165,970.90 with expenses of $147,324.62.  Total gain for the club was $18,646.28.

After the ponds situation is completed and the Chapter is financially solvent, we hope that the dues can be reduced.  Be assured that no one was in favor of a dues increase; however, with dues being essentially the only income for the Chapter, there was no other obvious alternative.  We hope that all members understand.

Yearly dues are now $150.00 for current members and $300 for new members’ first year until further notice .